This relates to circuit boards including a removable test point portion and to configurable testing platforms for testing circuit boards.
Circuit boards such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), logic boards, printed wiring boards, etched wiring boards, and other known boards may be used to mechanically support and electronically connect electronic components (e.g., integrated circuits, resistors, transistors, and capacitors). Circuit boards are typically constructed using one or more layers of a non-conductive substrate and signal conducting pathways. The signal conducting pathways may exist in one or more layers or in each layer of the non-conductive substrate. The signal conducting layers, sometimes referred to as traces, members, or leads, may be a metal conductive material (e.g., copper or gold) or an optical conductive material (e.g., fiber optics).
Electronic components may be mounted to the circuit board using a through-hole construction or a surface-mount construction and electronically coupled to one or more signal-conducting pathways via soldering. When the electronic components are physically and electrically coupled to the board, tests may be performed to check, for example, the interconnection of signal conducting paths and electronic components, proper component installation and operation, electromagnetic compliance, electrostatic discharge, and other suitable testing parameters. Such tests may be performed by applying probes to test points or test nodes populated throughout the circuit board.
Test points may be electrically connected to the signal conducting pathways and thus operative to provide test data to a probe connected thereto. FIG. 1 shows a top view of a simplified block diagram of a prior art circuit board 100 including a functional portion 110 and test points 120 (shown as cross-hatched squares) disposed among functional portion 110. A disadvantage of test points in conventional circuit boards, such as that shown in FIG. 1, is that they occupy valuable “real estate” on the board, thereby limiting the end-use functional efficiency of the board that would otherwise be obtained but for the presence of the test nodes. That is, the test points occupy real estate that would be better utilized by electronic components. As a result, test points, while necessary to perform tests, limit scaling (e.g., miniaturization) of the board and component density. Accordingly, what is needed is a circuit board that maximizes end-use functional efficiency while providing test points for use in performing tests.
Testing platforms for performing tests on circuit boards are known. For example, one known testing machine may include a computer operated probe that is moved from one test node to another. However, such testing platforms may require sophisticated and expensive robotics to move the test probe to specific locations on the circuit board. In addition, such robotics may require sophisticated control software for each circuit board being tested. Other testing platforms, which are not as flexible as robotic based testing platforms, include custom-made testing platforms specifically designed to test a particular circuit board. Such platforms may include a top test panel and bottom test panel which each include specifically arranged probes that are interfaced with test points on the circuit board. Drawbacks of these custom-made platforms include expensive manufacturing cost, limited lifespan, and inability to test more than one circuit board. Accordingly, what is needed is a versatile testing platform capable of testing many different types of circuit boards.